My own top 10 list relating to the folks here in Ennis

I have to admit, I love the end of the year top 10 lists.
I wait for the lists to come out on the Internet and in the magazines I see in line at the grocery store because I have a bit of an obsession as to who has made the list. I don’t even care what the list is for, if there is a best of list anywhere, I want to see it. However, usually the only people getting any sort of recognition for their efforts are celebrity types and I think everyone should be able to get in on the action. So therefore, I’ve decided to make my own top 10 list of local people and groups that helped make 2008 a great year for the community.

1. Marilyn Wylie – For her efforts to organize the first Honor Flight trip for Ellis County. The WWII service men and women that got to make that flight were moved to see the monument dedicated to their efforts and we all were given a much needed reminder about the importance of their actions.

2. The Thomas family – When your dad is the mayor and the spotlight always shines on him, it would be easy to take things for granted and not define who you are as a person, but the Thomas girls have forged their own way and are doing great things. Becca endured a painful bone marrow transplant to save her sister Anna from a potentially terminal disease and now Anna spends her time helping addicts in recovery. Anna’s own path to recovery also saw her speaking at a national conference and raising awareness for programs for college students facing the same hurdles she did. All three Thomas girls are studying in fields that will no doubt one day afford them the opportunity to give back to the community as their parents do.

3. Mary Nell Glaspy – Mary Nell is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the activities of the Golden Circle Activity Center. She is a feisty and fun-loving lady that makes sure the quality of life for the seniors that spend their days at the center is what it should be and continuously plans ways to improve upon what they do. Her efforts to help so many others really makes a difference for an age group that sometimes get forgotten and she is an asset to the community.

4. Jeannie Spaniel – Jeannie has organized the annual Tots for Tots fund-raising effort that sees her fifth and sixth grade students raising money to buy toys for needy families in the community at Christmas. She has remained involved in the program because at one point her family needed help and she knows first hand the difficulties they faced. She sees the best in the students of Ennis ISD and is proud of every one of them. She strives to teach each new class of kids that participate in the program to take a positive role in the community and her efforts are appreciated.

5. The Ennis VFW and American Legion members – This group not only provides scholarship opportunities to students and reminds us all to remember the sacrifices others have made for this community and our country, but they are real examples of how patriotism should be. Their efforts in past battles have allowed us to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Their humble and giving spirits belie the heroes that they really are.

6. The Bowie Elementary Recycling Program – In a material world, it is refreshing to see that the students of Bowie Elementary are concerned enough with the environment that they would approach the city to ask for a recycling center to be located at their campus. The program will not only help the community become more “green,” but it will teach the kids an important lesson about not taking the worlds resources for granted.

7. The ladies at the Chamber of Commerce and tourism bureau – This lot single handedly masterminds the tourism that the community sees and the high attendance for various festivals. They work really hard to promote the community to visitors and do what they can to boost sales within the city. They are our very own ambassadors and do a fantastic job putting our city on display.

8. The Ennis Public Library – The library staff works very hard to come up with programs and events that will not only be educational, but also fun. They try to get kids interested in reading and create a diversion from video games and the Internet and hold amazing programs all summer long that reward kids for reading. Their efforts help kids expand their minds and their imaginations as well as keeping their minds sharp.

9. The Ennis Relay for Life organization – This group works very hard to keep it in the forefront of all our minds that a cure for cancer is attainable in our lifetime. Their tireless efforts are the reason so many people participate in the relay event and why Ennis has raised so much money to help fund cancer research. Their dedication is only surpassed by their generosity and sincere wish to win the battle against a horrible disease.

10. The Unity in the Community committee – This group transcends the boundaries of race and color and involves the entire community in a festival that spans several days and a host of different activities and services. They offer services like health screening tests as well as a college fair and opportunities to participate in speech contests and basketball tournaments. They don’t see division in the community, they see opportunity and they have started an event and grown it bigger and better every year.

While this list is numbered, the number does not denote their importance on this list because of the 10 people or groups I’ve chosen, it would be impossible to pick the one that should rank the highest. My hope is just to give a little credit where it is due for some hometown folks who deserve it. I hope you enjoyed these and I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!

Candie Beck-Adams is community editor for the Ennis Daily News. She can be reached at candie@ennisdailynews.com.

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on Dec 30 2008. Filed under News.
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